Sheet-folding mechanism



sept. 2', 1930. ANOVICK 1,114,891

SHEET FOLDING MECHANIsu Filed-Jan. 29, 1926 v 4 Sheets-Sheet v 1 ..11 TTORNEYS.

` 'Sept 2, 1930. A. NoylcK 1,774,897

SHEET FOLDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. '29, l1926 4 sheets-Sheet 2 l INVENTOR.

BY y

ATTORNEYS.

Sept- 2, 1930. A. NovlcK 1,774,897

SHEET FOLDING MECHANI SM Filed Jan. 29, 192s 4 sheets-sheet 5 INVENTQR. v

BY Mm, 7M

A TTORNEYS.'

`ABRAHMVL Nevron; oErLusinG'f'NEw YonmpssIfGNoRTo L: 'SMI'THMCHE i 00.51310.; orjlNEW YORK-{N xgiaePonATIoN 0E 'NEW yomz i 1 s HnET-FonINGMoI-IANISM f the blank, and uieiiiii the pidiidefiheidiiid It` is indie paftididaidyeiinied widi dieV piioiiis'idii of high spdidopefdfiiiig iiieiiiis idg is folding' idiiiiibersdfihis I iiiid, ddd; empiyg Y Yf di this" purpose-j spdiaidi 'dpeiideiiig iii-eens die tifo iiidifiiieiiis tod-,iid Vidid, die;

o is' a long, ffast inoifeineiitfb-eing "ligbte i 4"ving ess inertiav tliantbeme'ansior,

andli ,c A. imparting the movement tansieselyof blank, this beingV a 'shiftV ielatii/elyl., slow movement. f' f es In die pdiiti'diiaif eiiibdiiideiie dif-dieiii verdien inusual-,ed in aiid pampa-iene @ha yed-,and isltliere arrested and adjusted 1 atojf to the folding operation.

The p'rlncipalobjeotof thelpresent in i1'e1i--'l tion is' to proi'idejaljlnaeliinewherein the blanks; may be folded v hiidid mdtidgwith- 0111s being rtf ill their PrOeTeSS fhoush the machine,'the purpo's e;.beingto eig'p'edite'tlie '85 operation of 'the niacliinelandltheifeby. ind

oease its output'. Y Other objects andr` dyant'a'ges tvill'gh'eeimiter appea'r Inthe drawings: 10 Figure 1 is anelev envelope making machine having the innention embodied thei'e; f

Figue v2 iis" afragi mentmjy,A sectionali asideelevation of aportionlofsfaid maehinlsuba 4.5 Sidiiiiauygdnihd lineea di Figdi-d 1.;j

binde with @its Side' indias! fdlded', feli'dgiidld-y vdoivn olls being@4 indicated in tlieliielat'ion which they bedr-wth@ udp-ie iiijihissidge and ,dfi

Figure 5 'sia sectionalfelevationof said' mechanismsubstantially Qn die iid@ 5559i c.

Figures 6 to 10 'are diagrammatic Vlevgfs 1l-i,

'Figure Vliiuid' lusti'atingthe mannerin Whichthe s ide'la'ps'- of anjenvelopei are Ineehanisn1. f f Y, ,i

` The machine, which yis generally siinilai totheinachine'of'inyprio patent -refeiedto above, e'omprses 'a 'fijan'1e,lportions of which aiev tepresented by the patsS- and' 9. Be?

the vertical,L are' forming.' blades l1 2 and113 tiveenjtliese'franie Inembeisfand inclinedto I .i 6`5` Tbeniea'nsbygwliich tbeblanks are fed downfv wrdnbehindheformingblades-lzandzl comprises afeefd belt 15.the lower reach of j sotahtallyf-the Saeiilane" afs the llbak "sur-` 'faoes'of the formingV blades 12 and 13 andy as the f ljontsufaces of certainfixed vguides 18 and 19 l(Figures 6F70 ,1 O).. y, Frictional enf gagelnentjbetweenf the envelope; blanks and @haben isis increased; byigoueig yieidingiy rpelssedf'toward. thefbelt g It ywill be funden-' stoodfthat the Inec hanisnd` lierein illustiated`- fornuspnly part of the oon1p1e-te nnaehindY and that the machine includesdne'ansffoi delive-V eidiig udn-ks to die belt 15 iiideiiiiiieiy-eiiiidd] i 'f relation. The. mechanism "Wlieiebygfihis i timed `feeding Vis]V secured is desirablyflike that "disclosed in Iny pending application, Serial 4No,.1637,626,k for `sheet feedngmecha n isn1, 1i1edMay 9,1923., .Such 1feeding*means I 'and the folding mechanism to @be described vhere1n"are,driven through Suitable geaing IQHLQJ VGontinaon line shaft or othensuit'able COHJDfIOIl1 Seme.; 0f pbwef' (nef shown) i the .operation `ofthe folding means-beingxtlius definitelyl synchronized with' the. arrival; of

the blanks in *position to befolded;y Ir` 1,Figure 6 an' envelope blank is shownifll al position.

befolded over the forming blades 12 and13 by-die foidiiigrmechdiiismiwhicliwiu,betereindffefdeseiibdd;

40 Y which serves to retard the foldingoverof one Y Each ofthe said forming bladesis Vsupc adjustably supported on a cross frame mem-V ber l30upon whichit is secured in place by set screws 38. Owing to the fact that the ported on a block 27, each of whichr blocks is locations of the 4blocks y27 may be; adjusted laterally ofthe machine upon the cross frame.

,member when the set screws 38 are loosened, it will be understood that the position ofthe `forming *bladesV 12. and 13 with refer-v ence to the belt '15 may be easily adjusted; for c different sizes of envelopeblanks to be folded.

Inl the machine as killustratedin-my-prior patent the forming blades were reciprocated ,longitudinally to cooperatewith a bottom flap folder and to advancethe blanksbeyond theside folding station. VInthe present'` ma.-

chine, however, the bottom folder is omitted from thispart of rthe mechanism and the forming blades remain stationary. i

' Beforeproceeding with the description of the details of theside flap folding mechanism,`it will be helpful to describe the function :of this mechanism with the aid of Figures6 to 10.` These figures all show, ina more or less n diagrammatic manner and 1n cross section, an envelope blank A located between the forming blades 12 and13 and the fixed guides 18 and 19, and inengagement with the l conveyor belt :15. Devices 90 which will be called fflap lifters and will behereinafter described,` are diagrammatically represent-- ed;and thefolding. elements themselves are 1 diagrammatically'shown ascomprising elements 91, and elementsl 92 which vcooperate with theforming blades 12 and13 to effect.

the folding of the sifdeflaps of the envelopes. Above thepla-ne of the envelope blank, andl slightlyto the left of thebeltl-is a finger 93,

the form (1f-which Vis shownin Figure 2,

- of the side flaps Vof thev envelopefso as-to inysure that this flap will lie on top of the other flap which is gummed at its edge as indicated at 94. Figure 6 shows the envelopeblank in.

f the act ofpassing downwardly into the posin ,is engaging andcisj'b l ment by4 thelfingerf-,FigtlreQs folding elements at; their,tremepfoldingf positions. f The Side flapfdldiigpperatiom tion shown in Figure 1 in which it is ready to be'folded. kAt-this time, the side flap lifters are holding .the side flaps of the envelope slightlyv raised so that they will not ycome into engagement with the creasing and eingeelay sinovei;

hows the i. Y Y 1,774,897k

shown in Figure9 and thru the positions shown in Figures 8 and 7, to the position shown Figure 6ready for operation on another envelope blank. Figure 10 shows the machine parts and the blank in the positions corresponding to Figure 3, this being inter-.

mediate .between the positions of Figures 8 and 9;

, *Itis `of-very great importance that this folding-mechanism be capable of high speed operation since this mechanism is required to act on the blanks while they are in motion. Itis obviousl that slow acting side folders would necessitate a slowing down of the blank feeding, and that this would result in a diminution of the output of the machine.

Inpthe particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the side flap folding mechanism'is actuated from a constantly driven shaft 80. The folding lelements 91are moved in twodirections, one of these directions being substantially perpendicularto the plane of the envelope blank, and the other direction ,being substantially parallel with said plane. vThe manner-in which the elements 91 are supported and moved will be first described. Referring to Figure 4. it will be seen that each element 91 is carried by a lug 97 Vwhich is secured by a bolt 98 to a lug 99 which is integral with a plate adjustably secured to a slide memberv 100 by means of. a bolt 102 extending thru a slot V.in said member.v The member 100 is supported so as to be capable of small transverse movement and more extensive longitudinal movement in a supporting frame provided Vwith .a base plate. 106 which is boltedlto the frame 8 or 9 of the machine by bolts 108.v As best shown in Figure 5, the frame 105 is provided with a recess 109 in whichthe member 100 is located; the plates 110 and 111 being provided for retaining the member 100 within the slot 109 without interfering with its movement therein. Transverse movement of the slide member 100 in the slot 109 is effected by a plate 114 arranged for longitudinal sliding movement in a channel provided in the frame 105 and extending at right angles to the slot 109. The form of the plate 114 will beapparent .from Figures 4 and 5. Said plate 114 is retained within the channel in the frame .105 by means of plates 116 which are secured to the frame 105 by screws 117 yorwi'n vany' lother suitable y. manner.; ,-At itsendlnearest the slide member 100, -the plate-1-14'ispreferably enlarged and provided'- ,vvi'thf aff' downwardly extending pilate-119 which/extends intoaslot 120 in the slidemeniber 7100: ,It .will-be understoodthat longitudinal movementrofthe plate 114 will serve tofmove the member 100 transversely ino n 80. The lever is biased toalpositionin which the cam follower 128 constantly makes .Contact with the surface :of the cam I1`305jby a spring 132 vvlii'ch-issecured atronefendto 'mounted:inrthe'fframes 8 and 9 ofy the machine. VAtits lower end', lever 125 is provided with afcam Vfollower. 128; adaptedrtocooperate With a cam 130 secured to the shaft the frame of the machine andat the other end y toan arm 133- eXtendihgVout-Wardly from the lever 125.f1t will be obvious that as thecam rotates, the Vlever 125 is rocked, thereby v causing. reciprocation,oftliefslide 114 inthe supportingl frame 105`;`"and that this move# ment-causes transverse movement of the slide member 100 in the sl0t109. The meansbyf which each slidezm'ember 100 carrying the elementv91'is reciprocate'd longitudinally, is

best shown in Figures 1 and e4. 'As therein shovvmeac'h slide .member 100 is actuated by"` a cam 135 mounted `on andsecuredto the shaftSO. Cooperating With-thecam 135 is al cam. follower 137- mou'nte'dl in V the end of a lever 138 pivotally supportedonabracketr 140' attached s lto the" vframe `of' the Vmachine. Attached to the upperjend oftheleverf138 by any suitable'formofiuniversalSjoint, is a c'onnectingrod'-142lwhich at its other end is connected .thru a 'unver'sal'fjont 144 withl y theV slide- 'member"100. -Theflever-138 is:

' bia-sed: to the vposition invvhichthe cam fol-Y- lovver 137 'engages the cam `135,` byimeansof thespring 146 attached at oneend'to 1fav bracket 147 extendingyfrom the frame" 'of the machine, :and at the other end' yto an' arm 148 extending fromtlielever 1:38. ltvvill be apparent that the connections between the lever'138 and theslide member 100 are'such that the transx'rerseA movement of the member Y y v.are supported andw'afetuated vvillnovv be "de 100 in"V the I'nanne'rV hereinbefor'e',described, Will not interfere With the longitudinal movement ofthemember 100 by the` cam 135.y Furthermore, itvvllrb'e noted that the trans'- veis'e and longitudinal "movements of -they slide memberl 100 arlecaused by separate cam mechanisms Which "canl'be' independently adj}usted, thereby "facilitating proper `fjsetting and centrol ofthe folding mechanism.. l. j The sfide v flap feldhg-e1emer1tsl` 92 vhave; a gfreaterlongitudi movement than thelfoldr-V elements 91.11 Are best-shown iri'Fgures 4 andf, each folding' element92ri's pivotally attached at -itsrearend to the forked end 150 ofi'a lever-1,51fivhiclrisipirotallyattached at its; other end to' a' Y'sicrew?153' extending from the bottom of the' platellfllfandthrufa slot inthe framemerrrher 105; f "Pvotally seeured ure 5).,A 'isa/link' lvvhich atitsother end is pivotally vattachedto the slide' member v 100,` .as ishovvnin` Figure 4.'=A spring 159,4 atf vtached at one endftothe 'foldingelemen`t92V andxat tlieother end'to alug on they link v1567 serves to Lh'oldthe foldingelement 92yi'eldf y ingly' A'vvith litsfolding end in rengagement with-the other folding element 91.1 With the construction ust described, Iit will: be apparu4 ent that,as each` slide member 100 is reciprof.

cated.v longitudinally', the movement "ofc its shovvn in Figuresfto 9;. This comparative-'1 ly greatmovement of thejfoldingelements 92 n is facilitated by the-lightness andbonsequent' lack ofinertia"ofthesefelements and 'of the f parts by Whichtheyare actuated, ltvvillof.

essary: and theentire foldingr operatin. may be Performed bythe elements 91. Y

Y folding `element 91'v lvvill be' comparatively short, vvhileithe longitudinal movement ofzits' foldingfelementf92-vvill be much'v greater, the

` vcomp arative extent of these movements being `transverse movement of the membergl'OO, which is a short' y sloW- movement, Aall ofthe parts attached thereto move; Whereas infthelongitudinal fastkmovement, only some of the attached lparte move; Iniviewof thisfaetg-thevveight and jconseque'ntly* :the inertia ofv fthe parts Glass.'

c 95 movement yof said member, which 11s a long 'moving ones, i's'a very important factorl'in high;speed! operation offa-machinejof this 165 Irwin-be eeen that thisfergeheetienis p'ecially Well L designed to 'operate upon the` blanks vvhile they are in motior'i,t its action beingsorrapid thatthe blanks maybe'fed past' it continuously lat ahighfrate-of speed.

ifio

- The means ty-Whiehthefside .flap intere A9o c c e i v lv'vii'e' with a hooked endgis adyustably mountg f ed infa bloclcarriedby-the-end ofa link 166 Which is 'adjustably secured at'fits other end by a bolt andvving nut 167 to an 'arm 169 attached to the'end ofarod -17 0'. 'llhe rod 17 0 slidingly supported in; a `bearing- 172 VeX- izo tending froma yoke 17 3' mounted on" a bar 175 I supported inthe framelmembers 8 and y9, and

upon sh'afft"177fjournaled said `frame Y membersS and9. The vyoke 1173 maybeseeuredatlany desired location-transversely' of;

theindehrne by setfserewfyim, Therm-3170 j near' the endrwheh is` rerrrote from the side k, "isiprovided ivvith a 'slot' across ai pin w181;.: i Thepin y181ieerrv l l 10o A Y, and inertia ofjtheparts movmgtrans- VYveif'sely..l This rconsti-nothin' of 'having' ther Y* gaged by the forked ends of a lever 182-Whichis secured in any suitable manner, as by a set screw 183, to the shaft 177. The shaft 17 7 is n rotatablyvreciprocated, inorder to rock the lil ' levers 182 and cause reciprocation of the rods n 17 0 carrying the side flap lifters 90, by means O-acam 184 secured to the shaft 80., Cooperatingyvith thei cam 184 is a cam follower 185-vvhichis mounted on ya lever 187 mount ed-on thelshaft k127 and secured theretoV by a setgscreW-z188, land a ,link 189 pivotally connects thelever l187 with an a'rm, 190 secured tothe shaft 177 .Y With this arrangement, it

will beobvious that as thefcam 184 rotates, it Will cause the side flap lifters 90 to reciprocate fromythe position shown in Figure 6, in

Whichsaid lifters are keeping the envelope blank from engaging With the sideflap foldingelements 91 and 92,V to the position shown iny Figures 7, 8 and-9 in .which the side flap lft'ersjare out of the kkvvay of theflovver edge of a descending envelope blank. f

It lwill, of course, be understood that the various camsr 130,135 and 184,' which are secured to the shaft 8.0, are sodesigned and --angularlyv located With reference to one ani f. other. that the various mechanisms .actuated by them Will kproperly-cooperate with one another land with theV other elements of the machine, tothe end that the envelope kblanks may properlypass-thru the machine and be operated upon. f

' Tothisend the'shaft'80may be connected to drive ythe bla-nk feeding belt 15 through a train'of gearing comprising gears 80? and 16a fastres,r ectively,y onshafts 8,0 and 161.`

The manner infWhich the, finger 93, the

vfunction lof Which is illustrated in Figure 8 and has been hereinbefore'described, may be supported, is illustrated inFigure'2. In this figure, thenger 93 is shown as frictionally i held infa hole in they split end of aV block 193 which may be'contracted by meansy of a bolt 194. The block 193 Vis pivotally mounted on apin y195 extending from a bracket 196 Secured to a portion 197 of the frame of the may Lside folding part of the machine between the belt I15" and a cooperating belt 199. They y pass thence beneath the forming blades 12 Vand 13, being` pressed against the belt 15,

first by roller 200 and then by the rollers 19a.V

As they come Within vthe range of theV side l folders, theside folderszmove upward and inward, folding the blanks inthe manner lillustrated in Figures 6 t0f10, as lalready described. Asi the blanks. pass beyond the lowermost roll'191, their inturnedflaps pass beneathay feed roll 201 Which serves both to adliesively 'connect lthe flaps and to cooperate With belt 15 in feeding the blanks. This feed' roll, in conjunction With the belt 15, delivers the blanks between cooperating belts 202 and 203, running on pulleys 204 and 205. These belts continue the progress of the blanks to other mechanism, such asthe bottom flap folding mechanism .Which, in the present embodiment, is a separate part of the organization from the side folding mechanism described.

Variations may be resorted to Within the scope of the invention, and parts of the improvements may be used Without others.

, What I claim is: f v 1. .In an envelope making machine, in combination, sideiiap folding means, means for imparting short, relatively slovv movements to the side flap folding means transversely of the blanks, and long fast movements in the plane of the blanks, means for feeding the blanks uninterruptedly past said folding means, the folding means being constructed and arranged to operate on the blanks While they are in motion, and thefast moving means being lighter than the relatively slovvl moving means.

2. In an envelope folding mechanism, the combination vvith meansfeeding the blanks uninterruptedly, of means movable transversely of the blanks and in the plane thereof for forming longitudinal folds in the blanks While they are in motion.

3. In an envelope folding mechanism, in combination, stationary forming blades, means for feeding the blanks continuously past the forming blades, and side folding means operable to fold the side flaps of the blanks While the blanks are in motion, said side folding means being arranged for'successive movements transversely of and parallel to the blank plane. Y

V4. In an lenvelope folding mechanism, in combination, means for feeding blanks uninterruptedly, and lside flap folding means operable on the blanks While in motion, comprisin folders, and means for imparting long, ast movements to the folders substantially parallel tothe blank plane, and relatively short, slovv movements to the folders transversely of said plane.

, 5. In an envelope vfolding mechanism, in combination, means feeding the envelope blanks, means movable transversely of and substantially parallel to the blank plane for folding `the venvelope blanks during the feeding thereof, and means driving the feeding ymeans andthe folding means in timed relation. v Y

6. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for feeding envelope blanks continuously in spaced relation, flap lifters operating to lift the side flaps of the moving blanks,

. Y ing means.

- ses Y.and reciprr-)catinoside lap folders arranged to engage the' lied flaps and fold them in-y Vvvard While the blanks continue in motion. .f

7.' In an envelope machine, incombination,

as it approaches the 'folding means to make sure thatl the blank flaps `Will rbe presented'in-V a predetermined location relative to the fold- In testimony Y vvhereofl havea-lixed my signatnre to this s eccation. v

BRAHAM NovIeKf foo f,

CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,774,897. Granted September 2, 1930, to

ABRAHAM NOVICK.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 96,claim 2, alter the article "the" insert the word envelope; samer, page, line 121, claim 5, after the word "blanks" and before the comma insert the word iminterruptedly; and that the said Letters Patent shouid be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record ol the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of February, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

